Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-12-29
WHAT Nh Br.AIHE SAYS



The I<wiston Journal has communi-
Ieatios from ! gentleman just returned
from Europe. believed to be Mr.. Frank
Dingley, the accomplished editor OF that
paper, who had good opportunity TO see
Mr.. Blaine 10 Paris and to observe the
impression which his visit had made on
the American colonies in London. Paris.
and elsewhere on the continent The
Lewiston communication says:
II met Mr.. Blaine in Paris couple of
weeks ago, and If ever / saw man in perfect
buoyancy of perfect health that man il MIR.
Blaine. His cheeks are rosy. his appetite
rood. and his spirits those Of the most abound
ing physical vigor. I visited him at his hotel
and in conversation he said:
I'VE lead a very quiet life. j am not
talking politics, nor rushing about in sight
seeing TO the exclusion of comfort. was
out to Versailles yesterday to see the election
of the President of the French Republic, at
ter crisis phenomenal and particularly in
teressing to an American. have bee1 very
kindly received by French statesmen, ard
have had excellent opportunities to study
French politics. The more study legisla-
tive assemblies in the old world, the more
perceive tina, our American Congress is the
most digniied and orderly Of the law-making
bodies on the globe.
II think I never felt better in my life. l
ascribe my vigorous health TO two causes. !
was born with good body, and worked on
= Pennsylvania farm in my younger days
Life on farm in boyhood makes for vigor
Of days in manhood. Secondly, have al
ways lived temporarily. have esehewed
intoxicants and tobacco from my college days
on, and have never burned the candle at
both ends. Pastry | never take. Thus
owe my good constitution to start with. My
life has been busy one, and in some re-
spects 1t has taxed my physical forces severe
ly. There has almost never been any respite
until this journey. Twenty Years of Con-
gress' was written on the heels of a most eI-
acting political contest, and these were pre-
ceeded by a public life that gave neither
mind nor body a rest. Hence you may i'm
aQine that am enjoying this breathing spell. "
Mr. Blaine goes to italy for the winter.
Your Maine sculptor, Simmons, has engaged
him very comfortable suite of rooms in
Rome, to which he will devote the largest
part Of the winter months He will be ac-
corded an audience with the King of italy and
other notables.
heard a story in London which think is
strictly correct One evening Mr.. Blaine
was being entertained at dinner by distin-
guished Londoner, and the conversation
turned on the relations between Great Britain
and the United States One of the members
of the British Parliament, who sat by Mr..
Blaine, good criticised Mr.. Blaine
for the form of one of his dispatches to the
Euut,sb hon Rlatpa xa Spcre-
tary Of the State 1T seemed to me at the
time" said the English s,ateman, that you
were little dscourteous to England when
you said in your despatch to Her Majesty
government that The United States expects
such and such things OF England" Mr.,
Blaine turned to his critic with the utmost
nonchalancc and remarked: "You forget,
my dear sir, that merely copied phrase OF
despatch from Her Majesty's government
to the United States in the darkest period OF
our civil war. The tables are now turned
Then, when we were in trouble, England
expected my country to do such aud such
things Now, if you will pardon me, the
United States is in position TO quote the
phraseology and send it back again"
Speaking of Blaine in 1888 the gentleman
said | am not authorized to speak for Mr.
Blaine, but my conviction is that Mr.. Blaine
neither courts nor opposes in this matter
lie is not a candidate, and more than that
he could not accept a nomination If he
thought any considerable number of Repub
licans thought another man stronger. But
believe that if the Republican party, in con
vention, again declares with great unanimity
that he is the man for 'Ss, that Mr. Blaine
will accept the nomination, though few knew
at what sacrifice of comfort and strength
The last campaign was a tremendous tax OF
Mr.. Blaine's ply sicial and nervous resources
Had he not been giant both in body and
mind, he would have been broken down by
the incessant and exacting toll.
That autumn campaign of 400 speeches
covering the entire West and the Contra
States, was the most remarkable political
campaign ever made by any one man. And
do you remember that in this vast number OF
speeches, Mr.. Blaine never made one slip
never said one foolish word, never made a
statement that his opponents could turn into
a boomerang. The boomerang was another's
and the blunders we're those that he was moi
responsible for.
Let me add my own opinion that If Mr.
Blaine is again the candidate, the campaign
will not be managed by town meetings.